Ukraine’s economy minister reports ‘significant’ progress in talks on minerals deal with US

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Wednesday reported “significant” progress in ongoing talks between Kyiv and Washington on concluding a minerals deal proposed by the US.

“Our technical teams have worked very thoroughly together on the agreement, and there is significant progress. Our legal staff has adjusted several items within the draft agreement,” Svyrydenko said on X.

Describing the development as a “positive new step,” Svyrydenko said that Ukraine and the US agreed to record this progress in a relevant memorandum of intent.

“We are preparing to complete the formalization of the agreement in the near future,” she said, adding that both sides will continue working on specific points in the agreement.

She also said that a lot has already been worked out, and that the overall quality of the agreement is expected to be high.

“The agreement will be subject to ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. It will create opportunities for investment and development in Ukraine and establish conditions for tangible economic growth for both Ukraine and the United States,” Svyrydenko added.

On April 7, Svyrydenko announced that her country will send a high-level delegation to Washington to advance talks on the deal.

The agreement giving the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals was scheduled to be signed at the White House in late February.

However, US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in a heated dispute, and the signing was canceled.